Gobicyon fossil map
Where fossils of Gobicyon have been found, shown on the Earth as it looked about 15 million years ago and on today’s map.
Dots are fossil collections recorded in the Paleobiology Database. The “then” view moves today’s fossil sites back to their positions 15 million years ago (the time slice nearest the median age of the fossils) using the Merdith et al. (2021) plate model; positions are approximate. Open on the timeline map →
| Group | Early mammals |
|---|---|
| Lived | 15.98–5.333 million years ago (Langhian to Messinian) |
| Periods | Neogene |
| Family | Amphicyonidae |
| Named by | Colbert 1839 |
| Fossil records | 4 occurrences at 2 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | China |
| Rock formations | Xianshuihe, txn:41266 |
About Gobicyon
Gobicyon is an extinct genus of large-sized carnivoran mammals, belonging to the Amphicyonidae ("bear dogs"), that was discovered in China, Mongolia, and Serbia, and lived during the Middle Miocene epoch. Despite only being known from rather fragmentary remains, recent discoveries showcase that it was an aberrant member of the subfamily Haplocyoninae, with adaptions towards bone-crushing similar to those of a hyaena.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Gobicyon (revision 1368879844), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0; introduction excerpted verbatim, formatting removed. Ages, family, authority and fossil records: Paleobiology Database, accessed 23 October 2026. Ages are those of the rock layers the fossils were found in. Wikidata: Q5575498.
